San Diego Mayor’s Race – Not the Unusual Outcome Noted – This is part for the Course to date

From the San Diego Union Tribune The San Diego Mayor’s race was won by a decisive victory – the winner, Republican Kevin Faulcone.(UT San Diego). This was despite the best efforts of Democrats and Unions using their usual model of negative attack ads and oodles of cash thrown at a progressive candidate(National Review with statistics).

Apparently, no one was watching the 2013 local races across the nation, where smaller cities experienced a somewhat hostile rebuke of incumbents – and this was regardless of Party. This will be especially interesting going into the 2014 mid-terms. Generally lower turnout – and a real antipathy towards anyone remotely spending long-terms in Washington.

In a word, if it can happen in Massachusetts, and in California, it can happen anywhere. If the mood of the electorate remains the same, 2014 will bring an entirely new Senate and Congress. Should the Democrats no longer control the Senate – there is zero chance they would control the House, then Harry Reid is removed as Majority Leader and finally the log-jam of partisan bickering will be done – Those Republican’s who have played to the left of the party – (compromise is one thing, rolling over is another0, will most likely find themselves replaced by someone who is more – liberty minded.

Also of note – the RNC may find itself butting heads with the Christian Right Wing, as they are finally awake, and looking at candidates that will meet their standards. Therefore, the largest voter turnout that never took place in 2012 will be enforce in 2016 – regardless of the hype surrounding any candidate that is brought forth from the Democrat side of the aisle.

Historically it would be the rebuttal to Obama in 2016 as it was to George W. Bush in 2008.

Musings on Winter’s Past and “Plow Rage” in New York City – Coping with Winter

Let’s face it – it’s been a long, cold, snowy and generally brutal winter, however, it is not as if we, as citizens living just about anywhere in the U.S. have not, in a good lifetime, experience winter before. Some of us just deal with it, other’s – not so much. If the winter is light, with little snow – it’s a sure sign of “global warming” – if it’s colder in say, New York City, than it is in say Anchorage, then its “global warming”. Novel thought – how about historical weather patterns? We have winters that are mild and those that are extreme, we have summers that are hot, and other’s not so hot. Every 30 to 40 years, things change up a bit, and someone puts a label on it, get’s a ton of money for research, and the beat goes on. As a child, to get from my house to my aunt’s two houses away I’d wade through snow up to my neck –of course, we were expected to get to school, and there were a few plows, which took a day or two to get down the street. That was the early 1960’s when snow was snow, and children had to walk backwards through eight feet of snow, uphill to get to school. Today at the mere mention of as storm – schools are closed.

In my youth, it was the coming Ice Age. It’s a tad late from the temps this winter, but it’s finally arrived. Some residents of New York are so weary of the winter and especially the snow plows that they have resorted to violence. CBS New York reports that one plow driver and his partner were attempting to move snow from the street into the front of someone’s driveway and they were threatened with a gun - the gun toting homeowner is facing charges, and the partner quit deciding that snow plowing in the Burroughs might be too dangerous.
Seriously.
How many times has one shoveled their lengthy driveway only to find a plow come careening down the street pushing your neighbors snow in front of your yard – simply put, if ones does not plow and widen the end of their drive then, they apparently have been expecting global warming. Before this blogger learned to skirt the end of her driveway, there were times when I made myself physically present in front of an oncoming plow – of course, not thinking clearly after the 70’Th inch of snow, it was to be expected.

All it the winter blues, call it seasonal affective disorder, call it what one may, but unless one is an avid outdoors type, then this weather is – in a word maddening.

Spring, however, should be around the bend, and with any luck and a lot of prayers we may just have an early spring despite the rodent living in Pennsylvania who predicts otherwise.

Of course, should temps extend beyond the 50 degree mark in March –it will be solid proof of global warming. Once the natives are defrosted, they may even go along with that – given this is Massachusetts.

On the flip side, someone should have trained those plowers and perhaps helped residents who are not sure how to plow out the end of a drive, and all the threats and mayhem could have been avoided.

Other handy tips – keep a shovel inside the house, helps to clear a path to get to wherever one is keeping their snow blower, if one has dogs, shovel a path in your yard before letting loose the hounds, make sure it is broad and wide enough for movement –otherwise, your gate will become an ode to a Frank Zappa song – watch for frostbite, and limit time your furry friends are out of doors.

For those who are weary plan your summer vacation, or just go window shopping – it’s a great lift of the spirits.

How vulnerable are the Democrats? John Chapman to run for MA9 against Keating (D) – Has NRCC Support – Hell Freezes Over

John Chapman, Candidate for the MA9 - image from www.johnchapman2014.com

From the Springfield Republican, an article on vulnerable Democrats trying to “straddle” on Obamacare apparently has some play, even in Blue Massachusetts.(Masslive) What is, perhaps, even more shocking is the candidacy of John Chapman, former Romney Official, who will be running for the 9th Congressional District in MA (Masslive). In a press release this morning, the NRCC noted:

WASHINGTON - Today, the National Republican Congressional Committee announced that John Chapman has been elevated to ‘On the Radar’ in the NRCC’s ‘Young Guns’ program. The program will help to provide candidates and their campaigns the tools they need to run effective, successful and winning campaigns against their Democratic opponents. Originally founded in the 2007-2008 election cycle by Majority Leader Rep. Eric Cantor (R-VA), Majority Whip Rep. Kevin McCarthy (R-CA) and Budget Chairman Rep. Paul Ryan (R-WI), the Young Guns program supports and mentors challenger and open-seat candidates in races across the country. Chapman is running in Massachusetts’ 9th Congressional District.

“I am confident that John Chapman will be a successful and dedicated member of this program and that he will continue to work hard to reach the crucial campaign benchmarks that have been established ahead of the 2014 elections,” said NRCC Chairman Greg Walden. “Massachusetts’ hardworking families deserve better than skyrocketing health care costs, financial instability and mountains of debt on their backs. I am certain that John Chapman will be a strong contender this election cycle.”

John Chapman's career has taken him from the Reagan White House, where he served as an aide in the Counsel's Office, to the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission, where he led investigations into Wall Street corruption and financial fraud, to the highest levels of Massachusetts state government, where he was an agency commissioner and undersecretary of economic development. John was also General Counsel for the Joslin Diabetes Center, an affiliate of Harvard Medical School, and a former partner at the law firm of Duane Morris LLP, where he advised corporate clients on enforcement and compliance issues, corporate governance and regulatory matters.

Throughout his entire career John has exhibited the personal qualities of leadership, determination, collaboration and diplomacy, which will serve him well as the 9th District's next Congressman

Normally, Massachusetts receives little to no support for any candidates running with an ® following their name, however, this year might be different, support from D.C. or no. Although a firm Reagan-Romney Republican (which is to say, possibly conflicted enough to be both moderate and conservative, thus appealing to all factions in the MA independent party (50 % unenrolleds registered.), one gets the sense that perhaps no place is a “safe spot for incumbents.

Which begs the question, if the NRCC is pegging one Candidate in the Bay State what next? One should see opposition candidates for almost every district, and unless there is a huge, get out the low information voter turnout by the Democrats – unlikely in a mid-term, then changes are in the wind. Not only in Massachusetts, but nationwide.

One might also point out that since the electorate is somewhat unhappy with a list of complaints, most prevalent is the economy, and the disconnect between Washington and the “rest of the nation”.

2014 may prove, in the long-run to be predictable, but one should not bet on it.